The Latest: High winds wreak havoc in nor'easter

Friday

Mar 2, 2018 at 8:44 AMMar 2, 2018 at 3:05 PM

The Associated Press

BOSTON — The Latest on a major late-winter storm pounding the East Coast (all times local):2:15 p.m.A fierce storm bringing high winds and heavy rain is causing problems around the northeast.The National Weather Service says some of the highest gusts Friday had been observed in Rhode Island, where the wind toppled a container truck as it crossed the Newport Pell Bridge. The span and two other bridges in the state were closed to high-profile vehicles.Outside Philadelphia, a tree crashed onto the roof of a commuter bus, halting traffic on one of the area's busiest highways. No injuries were reported.The weather service says it was aware of hurricane-force wind gusts on Cape Cod, including a report of 78 mph in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.Boston has reached its third highest tide since records began in 1928, at 14.67 feet. It expects the tide to crest higher during the second high tide of the storm at midnight.___1:30 p.m.The fierce nor'easter battering the Northeast is causing havoc with rail travel.Amtrak announced Friday that all services along the Northeast Corridor "are temporarily suspended due to multiple weather related issues."Service between New York City and Boston was suspended earlier due to flooding and multiple downed trees.Amtrak also announced that one track on the Washington-Maryland corridor was out service for repairs due to weather damage. That forced trains to reduce speeds for safety.Trains already en route will continue to Washington, New York City and Boston and hold.In New Jersey, a downed tree that hit overhead wires has suspended some New Jersey Transit service.NJT says the tree toppled in the area of Morris Plains on Friday, causing the suspension of service on the Morris and Essex Line in both directions between Dover and Convent Station.It wasn't immediately known if the service would resume in time for the evening commute.___12:50 p.m.More than 700,000 electric customers across the Northeast are without power as a late-winter nor'easter pummels the region with high winds and driving rain.The poweroutage.us website, which tracks utilities across the nation, reported early Friday afternoon that New York was the hardest hit state with more than 208,000 homes and businesses without electricity.About 180,000 Pennsylvania customers and 140,000 Virginia customers were without power.The New England area was not hit as hard, with Massachusetts experiencing nearly 27,000 outages.___12:20 p.m.Heavy rains are aggravating problems that Pittsburgh has been having with landslides in recent daysOne home was destroyed and the back wall of another was crushed in a landslide Friday in Kilbuck Township, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of Pittsburgh.Tom Tomaro has lived in the 3,000-square-foot, three-bedroom house his entire life. The landscape contractor said he noticed signs that the land was shifting several days ago, and started to move out his belongings then. The landslide has so far plowed through his fence, yard and deck and crushed the 70-year-old home's back wall.For now, he and his wife are staying with his mother-in-law.Officials say all the rain is causing the clay soil underneath to move quickly.__11:55 a.m.A major nor'easter is combining with high tide to cause flooding along coastal areas of the Eastern Seaboard.Water flooded onto the streets near Boston's Long Wharf just before noon Friday, while flood waters closed roads and threatened homes in Quincy just south of BostonFirefighters in Quincy and Duxbury rescued drivers from stranded cars. Quincy police warned drivers on Twitter not to try and drive down flooded streets.Flooded roads were also reported on Long Island, New York, and in Connecticut.Nancy Bennett, owner of Milford Boat Works in Milford, Connecticut, says there is couple of feet of water in the yard where there is usually none.High winds were also causing havoc across the region. In Watertown just west of Boston, police say eight utility poles were knocked over, blocking a major artery through town.___11:30 a.m.High winds and driving rain are causing thousands of flight cancellations at East Coast airports.Flightaware.com was reporting more than 2,000 cancellations late Friday morning.An American Airlines spokesman says the company has canceled about 18 percent of its flights in the Northeast, with Boston's Logan Airport and Reagan Washington National Airport the hardest hit.Delta, Southwest, JetBlue and American were allowing travelers to change their Friday and Saturday flights to avoid delays and cancellations.___11:30 a.m.High winds are causing power outages, school and work closures and traffic problems across Virginia.The winds are part of a major nor'easter that was pounding the East Coast on Friday, also packing heavy rain and intermittent snow further north.The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel was closed to all traffic Friday morning. Some roads were blocked by downed trees.Dominion Energy was reporting power outages across the state, but the numbers were highest in northern Virginia. Nearly 141,000 customers there were without power Friday morning.In central Virginia's Hanover County, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports fire-EMS crews were dispatched to a home around 2:45 a.m. for a tree that had fallen into a two-story house. Four children were trapped inside.Authorities say there were no injuries.___10:20 a.m.A major nor'easter packing wet, heavy snow has sent tree limbs crashing down, closed schools and left more than 100,000 customers without power across upstate New York.The National Weather Service says Buffalo had received more than 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow by 7 a.m. Friday, a record for March 2. Areas south of the city were under 20 inches (50 centimeters) or more. The Rochester area was closing in on a foot of snow.Accumulations were lower in eastern parts of the state, but the heavy mix of snow and rain made traveling hazardous, especially in the high-elevation areas like the Catskill Mountains.___10 a.m.The National Weather Service is warning of possible record high tides in Massachusetts from a nor'easter hitting the East Coast.The service says seas could top 15.5 feet (4.7 meters) at a tidal gauge in Boston Harbor, but it is anticipating a high tide of 14.5 feet (4.4 meters) to 15.1 feet (4.6 meters) in the harbor.A storm earlier this winter brought a record high tide of more than 15 feet (4.5 meters) to Boston.Authorities are urging residents of coastal communities to be prepared to evacuate if necessary in advance of Friday's noon high tide. The National Weather Service says all of Rhode Island is under flood and high wind watches through Sunday morning.Wind gusts exceeding 50 mph (80 kph) are expected as the storm moves up the Eastern Seaboard.___9:35 a.m.President Donald Trump is traveling out of Dulles International Airport, rather than Andrews Air Force Base, because of the late-winter storm battering the East Coast.Trump is heading Friday to North Carolina for the Rev. Billy Graham's funeral. He was scheduled to leave out of Dulles midmorning.Trump usually travels out of Andrews, but his departure location was moved due to high winds in the area.A major nor'easter was starting to slam the East Coast with heavy rain, intermittent snow and strong winds.___9 a.m.The front edge of the storm expected to pound the East Coast dropped as much as a foot of snow on parts of northeast Ohio, with heavy winds leading to power outages and school closings.Cleveland-based National Weather Service meteorologist Marty Mullen says wind gusts from the storm passing through Thursday night into Friday morning reached 55 mph near the Lake Erie shoreline with sustained winds of 20-30 mph.Mullen says areas in Ashtabula County in the far northeast corner of the state received 10-12 inches of wet, heavy snow while temperatures hovered around freezing. Areas west of Cleveland reportedly received less than an inch.Winds caused power outages throughout the area with numerous school closings reported east of the city.___7:30 a.m.The powerful coastal storm moving along the East Coast is set to bring high winds to New Jersey, where some rain is already switching to wet snow in some areas.The National Weather Service says winds are expected to increase drastically during the day, peaking Friday afternoon. Gusts of 50 mph to 60 mph are expected, as are downed trees and power lines.Some flights have already been canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport.Significant snow accumulation is expected at higher elevations in northwest New Jersey and the Poconos.The storm could take a chunk out of Jersey shore beaches that are still being repaired following damage from previous storms.There's no guarantee that all the sand that washes away over the next few days will be replaced.___7:10 a.m.The powerful coastal storm moving along the East Coast is bringing high winds to Pennsylvania, where some rain is already switching to snow in some areas.The winds are expected to pick up Friday afternoon and continue into the evening. Some flights have already been canceled at Philadelphia's airport.Gusts of up to 60 mph are possible. Property owners are being urged to secure items like trash cans and patio furniture.The change from rain to wet snow during the evening rush could cause travel issues from Harrisburg to Allentown and Philadelphia, and officials urge drivers to be cautious.The heaviest snow could fall in the Poconos and Lehigh Valley.The storm is affecting the entire eastern seaboard, from New England all the way down to northern Georgia.___12:05 a.m.A major Nor'easter is starting to slam the East Coast with heavy rain, intermittent snow and strong winds.Gusts exceeding 50 mph are expected as the storm moves up the Eastern seaboard on Friday.Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has activated 200 National Guard members.In New Jersey, officials are worried the storm could take a chunk out of beaches just south of Atlantic City that are still being repaired because of damage from previous storms.Authorities are urging residents of coastal communities to be prepared to evacuate if necessary in advance of Friday morning's high tide.The National Weather Service says all of Rhode Island is under flood and high wind watches from Friday through Sunday morning.

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